I am advised by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that members of An Garda Síochána may be called to attend prisons for a variety of reasons including the following:
- incidents relating to the possession of contraband by prisoners
- incidents relating to the smuggling of contraband by prison visitors
- deaths in custody
- reports of assault or other offences which would be considered a criminal matter
I am further advised that the Irish Prison Service does not collate all records in relation to the number of times An Garda Síochána are requested to attend at a prison. However, statistics are collated with respect to incidents where a member of An Garda Síochána is requested to attend in relation to a death in custody, and these are set out as follows:
Establishment
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019 to date
|
Total
|
Shelton Abbey
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Loughan House
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Cloverhill
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Midlands
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
8
|
Arbour Hill
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Mountjoy (Male & Female)
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
7
|
Castlerea
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Wheatfield
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
Cork
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
4
|
Limerick
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Portlaoise
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Furthermore there may be instances where An Garda Síochána is requested to attend the prison in relation to a visitor suspected of smuggling contraband. The figures provided by the Irish Prison Service are below.
Establishment
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
Total
|
Shelton Abbey
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Loughan House
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Cloverhill
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
Midlands
|
44
|
66
|
50
|
160
|
Arbour Hill
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Mountjoy (Male & Female)
|
25
|
41
|
20
|
86
|
Castlerea
|
4
|
13
|
9
|
26
|
Wheatfield
|
17
|
10
|
6
|
33
|
Cork
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
6
|
Limerick
|
10
|
16
|
5
|
31
|
Portlaoise
|
2
|
7
|
8
|
17
|